Relay.



No. 784,635. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

M. SETTER.

RELAY.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 1902.

Elli ill w Wiwmzea:

UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

MICHEAL SETTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN ELECTRIC TELEPHONE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RELAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,635, dated March 14:, 1905.

Application filed April 5,1902. Serial No. 101,472.

1'0 all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that .I, l\IICI-IEAL SETTER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Relays, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to relays for use in electrical circuits such, for example, as telephone signaling-circuits. Relays for such purposes usually comprise an electron'iagnet and a movable armature, the armature being arranged to either break or close a circuit when the magnet is energized.

Generally stated, it is the object of my invention to provide a simple and eflieient relay adapted for use in various connections.

A special object of my invention is to provide an improved mounting for the armature whereby the resistance offered by the latter will increase as it moves toward the magnet, so as to allow it to present the least resistance to the magnetic force during its initial movement.

Another object is to provide a simple construction of dust-proof casing for inclosing both the armature and magnet.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of improvement tending to increasethe general eliiciency and to render a device of this character more serviceable and reliable in use. I

To the foregoing and other useful ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a relay embodying the principles of my invention, the cap for inclosing the armature and its mounting being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the relay shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective of the collar or cap which is secured to the end of the magnet-casing and upon which the armature is mounted. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the knife-edge of the hanger, which is secured to the back of the armature and which is hung from the notches in the top of the member shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 illustrates part of the connection between the resting-contact and a circuit-wire. Fig. 7 is a view more or less diagrammatic in character and illustrating the principle upon which the armature operates. Fig. 8 shows a portion of the forward end of the. magnet in section and illustrates the stationary contact engaged by the armature in closing a circuit.

As thus illustrated my improved relay comprises, preferabl y, an electromagnet A, which may be inclosed within a metallic tube or casing B. The core a of said magnet is, it will be seen, arranged to project slightly at its forward end and to quite an extent at its rear end, so as to have a threaded portion a, which may be employed as a means for securing the relay in place. The rear end of the magnet is preferably inclosed by a cap I), which may be permanently secu red to the cylindrical casing B in any suitable manner as, for example, by pressing its edges into a groove 7) on the said tube or casing. The mounting for the armature is preferably in the nature of a ring C, as shown in Fig. 4, and is slipped over the forward end of the tube B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A screw ccan be employed for holding this ringshaped mounting in place. The said mounting is, it will be observed, formed with a transverse bar or end piece (1, which is joined to the ring by means of longitudinally-extending portions 0" and 0 The upper portion (3 can be provided with an opening 0* and at each side thereof with notches or seats The armature D is preferably disk-like in form and is provided with a hanger (Z. This hanger, it will be seen, is 1'n'eferably secured to the back of the armature and is provided at its top with two laterally-extending knife-edge portions d. These portions d have their knife-edges arranged to rest in the notches or seats 0 in the armature-mounting. With this arrangement it will be seen that the weight of the armature is so disposed that gravity tends to keep it normally swung back or away from the magnet. This will be understood by referring to Fig. 7, wherein it will be seen that by locat- 1 ing the knife-edge hanger at the back of the netic force being offered during the initial l movement of the armature or at a time when the latter is farthest away from the magnet. As the armature moves toward the magnet it of course moves farther away from the gravity position, and in this way its resistance to the attractive force is constantly increasing; .but it will be seen that this increase in resistance is counteracted by the corresponding increase in the attractiveforce as the armature moves toward the magnet. This, it will be seen, tends to render the relay extremely sensitive, a slight current serving to start the armature toward the magnetic core. This armature, it will be readily understood, can be employed for either breaking or closing circuits or for doing both. For example, the front of the magnet-spool can be provided with a stationary contact a, having suitable connection with the terminal 1/ at the rear of the magnet. With this arrangement when the armature moves forward it closes a circuit from the terminal a, which is secured to the magnet-casing through the armaturemounting and armature and thence through the contact (6 to the said terminal a.

As shown, the armature is provided with a spring (Z held in position by a screw (Z This spring can be arranged to engage an adjustable screw e inserted through the vertical piece or portion 0 of the armature-mounting. With the arrangementshown this screw 0 can be adjusted so as to cause the spring (Z to tend normally to hold the armature away from the magnet. The armature-mounting can be provided with an adjustable resting contact 0, adapted to engage the outer end of the screw d. This resting contact a can be insulated in the manner shown in Fig. 2, so as to permit the relay, if desired, to be operated in a reverse manner. For example, this restingeontact can be connected with the terminal a, and in this way the relay can be employed for breakinga circuit rather than for closing one, as previously described. The helix or coil of the electromagnet can be connected with suitable terminals (0 and a. The circuitwires, it will be understood. can be soldered or in any other way suitably connected with these projecting terminals. If desired and as a matterof furtherimprovement, the armaturemounting, it will be observed, is of such form as to permit a cap E to be applied for excluding the dust. This cap can be provided with bent portions 0, adapted to engage a circumferential groove 0 in the ring portion of the armature-mounting. Nith this provision it will be seen that the relay presents a smooth and practically unbroken exterior adapted to exclude dust and dirt from the interior portions. ith further respect to the novel and advantageous arrangement of the armature it will be seen that, as illustrated, the armature is normally practically balanced, so to speak, about its axis. In other words, normally it occupies the position or practically the position which gravity would cause it to assume when unobstructed. It is of course usual in some cases'to provide armatures which are maintained in a certain normal position by gravity; but in such cases it will be seen that the armature is invariably supported and prevented from balancing itself about its center of gravity either by a resting contact, a stop, or some other similar means. It is now, how ever, so far as I am aware, to arrange a swinging armature having a knife-edge at its upper end in such manner as to allow it to freely balance itself about its point of support or to very nearly so balance itself, according to the adjustment of theresting contact. \Vith this arrangement, as explained, there is practically no resistai'ice offered by the armature during its initial movement toward the magnet. VVith further respect to the use of the. relaythat is to say, for either opening or closing the circuitit will be seen that the resting contact 0 could be connected with the terminal a by extending a wire through the insulating-sleeve a" to the metal piece N". In this way, as explained, the relay is adapted for use in various connections and for either breaking or closing circuits, so as to cause the operation of signals or perform any other useful function. As it is arranged to swing and practically pivotally mounted atits upper end, it is readily apparent that the armature is a pendent or swinging armature and is adapted to hang in front of and swing toward and away from the magnet.

lVhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a relay, the combination of a suitable electromagnet, a swinging and pendent armature for said magnet, and an armature-moimt ingsupporting the said pendent armature, the latter being normally balanced, or practically balanced, about its axis, said axis being coincident with a knife-edge contact between the armature and mounting, and switch-contacts operated by said armature.

2. In a relay, the combination of a suitable electromagnet, a swinging armature provided with a knife-edge, an arn1ature-1nountinghaving a seat adapted to receive the said lcnileedge, the said armature being normally balanced, or practically balanced, about its point of support, said point of support consisting of a knife-edge contact between the armature and mounting, and switch-contacts operated by said armatures.

3. In a relay, the combination of a suitable electromagnet, an armature swingingly supported at its upper end, the point of support IlO for said armature being of a knife-edge character and, so relatively positioned as to permit the force of gravity to hold it normally away from said magnet, and switch-contacts operated by said armature.

4. In a relay, the combination of a suitable electromagnet, a metal tube having a circumferential groove at one end thereof and inclosing said magnet, a cap fitted upon the rear end of said tube and having its edge pressed into the circumferential groove in the tube, a member having a ringlike portion fitted uponthe forward end of said tube, a vibratory armature supported by said member, the armature being hung on knife-edges, a cap inclosing the armature and fitted upon the said ring-like portion, and switch-contacts operated by said armature.

5. In a relay, the combination of a suitable magnet, a swinging and pendent armature normally balanced, or practically balanced, about its point of support, the armature being hung on knife-edges, a resting contact normally engaged by the armature, and a second contact which the armature engages when attracted by the magnet together with the mounting on which both the said switch-contacts and thearmature are mounted.

('3. In a relay, the combination of a suitable oloctromagnet, a swinging and pendent armature supported in such manner that gravity tends to normally hold it away from the magnet, the armature being hung on knife-edges, and an adjustable resting contact normally engaged by the armature together with the mounting on which both the said switch-contacts and the armature are mounted.

7. In a relay, the combination of a suitable electromagnet, a. swinging and pendent armature held normally away from the magnet by gravity, a spring adapted to assist gravity in returning the armature to its normal position, the armature being hung on knife-edges, and contacts adapted to cooperate with the armature in making and breaking the circuits.

8. In a relay, the combination of an electromagnet, a tubular metal casing for said magnet, a ring-like member fitted upon the end of said casing, said ring-like member being provided with a vertical cross-bar connected at its 5 ends with the ring-like portion by short horizontal portions, the upper short portion being recessed and provided at each side of said recess with a notch, an armature having its upper end provided with a portion adapted to extend through said recess and provided with knife-edges adapted to rest in said notches, the armature thus mounted being practically normally balanced about its axis, and contacts adapted to cooperate with said armature in opening and closing circuits.

9. A relay, comprising an electromagnet, an armature-mounting suitably fixed to the end of the magnet-casing, a disk-like armature provided at its upper end with knife-edges, the said mounting having notches adapted to receive said knife-edges, an adjustable spring connection between the back of said armature and the said mounting, the armature being practically normally balanced about its axis, and contacts adapted to cooperate with said armature in opening and closing circuits.

Signed by me at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, this 29th day of March, 1902.

MICHEAL SETTER.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR F. DURAND, HARRY P. BAUMGARTNER. 

